Stephen Merdler - Ecotect

1. Meetings with Merdler took hours because he wanted to talk about everything from his ethnic background to the issues he is having with his daughter and granddaughter to his uncle's invention to his early years working in Texas to the meaning of life. He also complained a lot because he apparently feels he should be receiving more recognition for his early work in green building design. A big chip on his shoulder. 2. I gave him old drawings that I'd received from the previous owner. These provided some information about the existing structure. Merdler and I discussed the fact that these drawings had several errors on them and that the measurements were incorrect. We remeasured the existing structure so that the dimensions on the new drawings would be correct. This was essential for the correct depiction of the remodel. When Merdler gave me the completed drawings, I saw he had used the erroneous dimensions of the old drawings. When I said they were wrong, he repeated over and over that those were the measurements on the older drawings. When I reminded them that he and I had measured everything out and that he had all the correct measurements in his notes, he just kept repeating that he had used the dimensions on the old drawings. He repeated that so many times it was like talking to someone who was mentally deficient. I would say..."We measured that on July (fill in the blank) and it was 20' ", and he would say 'I used the measurements on the old drawings." It was bizarre. Most important, when I asked him to correct the drawings, he said no, saying, again, "I used the measurements on the old drawings." He actually refused to correct the drawings. 3. He had no idea how much construction of the design would cost. He had estimated $35-40K, and it came in at $70K. Then he denied he had ever said $35K, although I have it in writing. This was a consistent pattern of his never admitting he had made an error, just as with the incorrect dimensions discussed above in #2. And he would never agree to correct an error because that would mean admitting he had made one. 4. One of his drawings included a massive design with 2 blank walls that were about 11' high. He said it would make "an architectural statement".. I live in a discreet covenent-controlled area. I had to pay him extra $$ to make new drawings without the "architectural statement". 5. In the end, he did not produce anything I could use. He got his money, I threw the drawings in the trash (literally), and hired someone else to start the entire process all over again. Which also means a year's delay in the actual construction. 6. Merdler was inexpensive compared to many building designers and architects. I gave him an F on price because his product was unusable. He got the money. I got nothing.